Yarn feeding means for warping machines



Nov. 13, 1962 H. c. NOE

YARN FEEDING MEANS FOR WARPING MACHINES Original Filed Oct. 1, 1956 l m7 u. e t w a u m o m MN 0 A w w w M 9 m C m /A d s 1m 3 W M A l H 4 W WI 1 Nov. 13, 1962 H. c. NOE 3,063,123

YARN FEEDING MEANS FOR WARPING MACHINES Original Filed Oct. 1, 1956 sSheetsSheet 2 5'1 III/111111114 7 INVENT R. Harold C; 0e

ATTORNEY Nov. 13, 1962 H. c. NOE

YARN FEEDING MEANS FOR WARPING MACHINES Original Filed Oct. 1, 1956 5Sheets-Sheet 3 COM PR ESSED AIR 5 U PPLY INVENTOR. Harold .Noe

Mn/LZ ATTORNEY ite States atent 3,53,l23 Patented Nov. 13., 19523,063,123 YARN FEEDING MEANS FOR WARPING MACHINES Harold C. Noe, UpperMontclair, N.J., assignor to Kidde Textile Machinery Corporation,Bloomfield, N.J., a corporation of Delaware Original application Oct. 1,1956, Ser. No. 613,156, now Patent No. 2,955,897, dated Oct. 11, 1%0.Divided and this application Apr. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 24,646

2 Claims. (Cl. 28-38) The present invention relates to textile machines,and, more particularly, toimprovements in machines ordinarily known asbeamers or warpers which are utilized to wind a warp of yarn onto a beamfor thereafter supplying the warp threads to a knitting or weavingmachine.

Such machines generally comprise a warp beam, means for rotating thewarp beam, a pressure roll for engaging the warp beam, mechanism underthe control of hydraulic fluid pressurized by a pump: for moving thepressure roll into and out of engagement with the warp beam, a guide orfeed roller and, in some cases, mechanism for facilitating clotting ofthe warp beam.

An objection to such machines is that warp sheet is passed over a freelyrotatable guide roller located near the nip defined by the warp beam andthe pressure roller, whereby the nip determines the demand for yarn.Thus, where yarn demand and tension difficulties are encountered in thewinding of the warp sheet, substantial lengths of the ends affected bythese difiiculties are either wound too loosely or too tightly and causedefects in the fabric to be knitted or woven therefrom as well asmalfunctioning of the knitting or weaving machine.

In some instances, attempts have been made to drive the guide roller,but not positively, at a rate to supply the yarn demand of the warpbeam. This has led to difficulties because the peripheral speed of theWarp beam and the guide roller could not be maintained in synchronism asthe machine became older without making frequent adjustments. Usually,after such adjustments were made, the warp was wound too tightly, andafter the machine was in use for a while and got out of adjustment, thewarp was wound too loosely.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide animproved warping machine which overcomes the foregoing difiiculties anddisadvantages.

Another object is to provide improved means for feeding a warp sheet tothe warp beam.

A further object is to accomplish the foregoing in a simple, practicaland economical manner.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon anunderstanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, orwill be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages notreferred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employmentof the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes ofillustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawings,forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, partly in section, of a warpingmachine in accordance with the present invention with the warp beam inplace.

FIG. 2 is a side view, taken substantially along the line 2-2. on FIG.1, with the warp beam removed.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view taken on FIG. 1, illustrating detailsof the dofling mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of, the system for operating the pressureroll and dofling mechanisms.

Referring to the drawings in detail and more particularly to FIGS. 1 to3 thereof, a warping machine is shown which includes a frame 10, a warpbeam 11, a pressure roll assembly 12, mechanism 13 for moving thepressure roll into and out of engagement with the warp beam, a yarnmeasuring roll 14 driven by the pressure roll, mechanism 15 for dofiingthe warp beam, and a main drive 16 for the warp beam.

The frame comprises a pair of spaced apart upright side members 17 and'18, a number of cross bars or tubes connecting the side membersincluding a tube 19, and a platform or support 20 for the main drive.The side members 17 and 18 are provided with bearings, journals and thelike for supporting shafts and the like which will be describedhereinafter with reference to the particular mechanisms with which theyare associated.

The Warp beam 11, as shown in FIG. 1, is a spool-like structure whichcomprises a hollow cylindrical section 21, and a pair of side flanges 22and 23 formed with annular openings 24 and 25, respectively. The opening24 has a cylindrical zone of considerable width, whereas the opening 25has a narrow cylindrical zone and a flared zone located axiallyoutwardly thereof for the purpose about to be described. The warp beamis rotatably supported by a bearing assembly 26 on the frame member 17and a bearing assembly 27 on the frame member 18.

The bearing assembly 26 includes an axle 28 which has an inner endelement 29 adapted to fit into the opening 24 of the Warp beam and whichis rotatably mounted in a sleeve 3% This sleeve is slidably mounted inthe frame member. 17 and is adapted to be moved inwardly and outwardlyto insert and withdraw the element 29.v

To accomplish this, the sleeve 30 has a gear rack 31 which is engaged bya gear, 32 adapted to be manually rotated by a lever or handle 33.Although not shown,

conventional means are provided for locking the sleeve slidingarrangement when the element 29 is inserted into the warp beam opening24.

The bearing assembly 27 includes an axle 34 which has an inner endelement 35 adapted to fit into the opening 25 of the warp beam indriving connection, an outer section rotatably mounted in a sleeve 36fixed in the frame member 18, and an intermediate pulley 37 or the likeadapted to be driven by a belt 38 or the like from the main drive 16.The support for the Warp beam just describedfacilitatesmounting andunmounting of the warp beam as will be made apparent hereinafter.

The pressure roll assembly 12, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises ayoke including a pair of side members 39 pivotally suspended at theirupper ends from a shaft or rod 40 supported by bearings in the framemembers 17 and 18, a cross-bar 41 connecting the members 39 for swingingmovement in unison, and a pressure roll 42 freely rotatable on a shaft43 supported by the members 39 at the lower ends thereof.

The mechanism 13 for moving the pressure roll into and out of engagementwith the warp beam includes a pair of hydraulic motors 44 and 45 eachcomprising a cylinder 46 (FIG. 2) having one end pivotally mounted onthe frame at 47, a piston 48, and a piston rod 49 extending outwardly ofthe other end of the cylinder and having its free end linked to one ofthe side members 39 of the yoke.

In accordance with the present invention, yarn measuring roll 14 isfreely rotatable on the shaft 49 and is positively driven by thepressure roll, for example, by a timing belt 50, driven by a timingwheel 51 rotated by the pressure roll and drivinga timing wheel 52 forrotating the measuring roll. Since the pressure roll is driven by thewarp beam by being in frictional contact with the.

warp sheet wound thereon and the measuring roll is driven by pressureroll, the linear speed of the yarn at the measuring roll and the warpbeam is the same, whereby the measuring roll will demand from the creeland supply to the warp beam the exact amount of yarn required by thewarp beam to provide a uniformly wound warp of yarn thereon. Since themeasuring roll 14 is mounted for rotation on the shaft about which thepressure roll swings, movement of the pressure roll from one position toanother will not disturb the relation of the measuring roll to the Warpbeam.

The dofling mechanism 15, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, includes a cradleprovided by two spaced arcuate members '55 which are L-shaped in sectionand are constructed to receive and support the flanges 22 and 23 of thewarp beam. These members are mounted by arms 56 on a shaft 57 supportedby the frame members 17 and 18. The cradle is so arranged that, when thewarp beam is mounted for rotation, the vertical sections 58 of themembers are closely adjacent the outer sides of the flanges and thehorizontal sections 59 of these members are closely adjacent theperiphery of the flanges. The manner in which the warp beam is placed onthe cradle and removed therefrom will be described shortly hereinafter.

The cradle is adapted to be moved from its normal position, that is,under the warp beam, to the position downwardly and outwardly of itsnormal position as shown in FIG. 2, whereby the free ends of the cradlemembers 55 are positioned to enable the warp beam to be rolled therefromand another beam to be rolled thereon for insertion into the machine.Such movement of the doffing cradle is effected by a lever 60 having oneend secured to the shaft 57 and having its other end linked to a pistonrod 61 extending out of one end of a cylinder 62 of a hydraulic motor63. A piston 64 in the cylinder 62 operates the piston rod, and theother end of the cylinder is pivotally mounted on the frame at 65.

Provision is made for locking the cradle in its normal position duringoperation of the machine by securing a lateral pin or stud 66 to theouter side of the lever 60 which rides on an arcuate block 67 (FIGS. 1and 2) formed with a hole 68 for receiving the pin when the cradle is innormal position, rotatably and slida'bly mounting the shaft 57 inbearings 69 in the frame members (FIG. 3), and placing a spring 70 onthe shaft 57 between the frame member 17 and the clamp of the arm 56adjacent thereto, whereby the spring is effective to move the shafttowards the right (as viewed in FIG. 3) as the pin enters its hole.

The pin is adapted to be withdrawn from its hole when the cradle is tobe lowered by mechanism which includes a foot treadle 71 mounted on oneend of a shaft 72 supported by a bracket 73 on the tube 19. The otherend of the shaft 72 is adjacent the shaft 57 and carries a roller 74 forengaging a flange 75 secured to the shaft 57, whereby, when pressure isexerted on the treadle, the shaft 72 rotates counterclockwise, as viewedin FIG. 3, and the shaft 57 is moved towards the left to effect removalof the pin from its hole.

The elements of the doffing mechanism and the mounting elements forsupporting the warp beam cooperate in the manner about to be described.Assuming, that a warp beam has been wound and removed, the cradle willbe in its dofling position as shown in FIG. 2, and the element 29 willbe in its outer position. An empty beam is rolled onto the cradle andthe hydraulic motor 63 is operated to lift the cradle until the pin 66enters its hole 68 whereupon the shaft 57 moves towards the right andcauses the section 58 of the cradle member 55 at the left to engage theflange 22 of the beam and move the same a short distance towards theright so that the element 35 extends partially into the opening 25 ofthe beam. The mechanism under the control of the lever 33 is thenoperated to insert the element 29 into the beam opening 24 which shiftsthe beam further towards the right to fully insert the element 35 intothe beam opening 25, whereby the flared zone of the opening 25 causesthe beam to be raised off the horizontal cradle sections 59 and the beam4 flanges are laterally spaced from the vertical cradle sections 58.

After the warp beam has been wound, the lever 33 is operated to withdrawthe element 29 from the beam opening 24, and pressure is applied on thefoot treadle 71 to withdraw the pin 66 from its hole 68 and to shift thecradle towards the left, whereby the cradle member 55 at the right movesthe beam towards the left to slide the flared Zone defining the beamopening 25 over the element 35 and thereby enable the beam to drop ontothe cradle. The hydraulic motor 63 is operated, while pressure ismaintained on the treadle until the pin 66 clears the hole 68 and rideson the blocks 67, to swing the eradle outwardly and downwardly forremoval of the beam.

In FIG. 4, a system is shown for operating the hydraulic motors 44, 45and 63, the pistons of the motors being shown in an intermediateposition as they are being operated respectively to move the pressureroll away from the warp beam and to swing the cradle downwardly andoutwardly.

This system includes a pair of reservoirs and 81 for the motors 44 and46 which reservoirs at all times are only partially filled with ahydraulic fluid to provide a space above the fluid and whichrespectively have upper openings 82 and 83 and lower openings 84 and 85.The upper openings 82 and 83 respectively are connected by conduits 86and 87 to outlets 88 and 89 of a valve 90 which has an inlet 91connected to a supply of compressed air 92 and has a vent 93.

The source of the compressed air supply 92 may be a compressed air lineusually installed in factories and mills or may be a smallmotor-compressor unit having an accumulator and on and ofl controlresponsive to the pressure of the air within the accumulator.

The valve 90 has a movable member 94 for providing two open and ventingpositions with the inlet 91 connected to the outlet 88 and the outlet 89connected to the vent 93, and vice versa, and a closed position, asshown.

The lower openings 84 and 85 respectively are connected by a conduit 95to an opening 96 at one end of each of the cylinders 46 and by a conduit97 to an opening 98 at the opposite end of each of the cylinders 46, sothat the pistons 48 in these cylinders move back and forth together tooperate the pressure roll assembly.

As shown herein, the cylinders and the connections thereto are arrangedto move the pressure roll into engagement with the warp beam when theair inlet 91 is connected to the valve outlet 89 in communication withthe reservoir opening 83 and to move the pressure roll out of engagementwith the warp beam when the air inlet 91 is connected to the valveoutlet 88 in communication with the reservoir opening 82.

Since the pressure roll, when in engagement with the warp beam isintended to exert pressure on the warp sheet being wound thereon, it isimportant and desirable to adjust such pressure to make it suificient,but without damage to the warp. Such pressure adjustment can be made byplacing a pressure regulating valve 99 and a pressure gauge 100 in thecompressed air conduit 87 leading to the opening 83 of the reservoir 81.Also, it is desirable to slowly move the pressure roll into engagementwith the warp beam to prevent damage to the warp sheet. Such slowmovement can be attained by placing a check valve 101 in the conduit 95and by-passing the check valve by a flow restricting tube 102.

The system further includes a pair of reservoirs 78 and 79 for the motor63 which at all times are only partially filled with a hydraulic fluidto provide a space above the fluid and which respectively have upperopenings 103 and 104 and lower openings 105 and 106. The upper openings103 and 104 respectively are connected by conduits 107 and 108 tooutlets 109 and 1-10 of a valve 111 which has an inlet 1 12 and has avent 113.

The valve 111 has a movable member 114 for providenemas ing two open andventing positions with the inlet 112 connected to the outlet 169 and theoutlet 89 connected to the vent 1 13, and vice versa, and a closedposition, as shown.

The lower openings 105 and 1% respectively are con nected by a conduit115 to an opening 116 at one end of the cylinder 62 and by a conduit 117to an opening 113 at the opposite end of the cylinder 62 so that thepiston 64 can be moved back and forth.

As shown herein, the cylinder and its connections are arranged to movethe cradle downwardly and outwardly when the air inlet 112 is connectedto the valve outlet 1&9 in communication with the reservoir opening 1%.Thus, to prevent the cradle from moving down too rapidly and possiblyjarring the warp beam to cause the same to roll oil the cradle andinfiict personal injury or property damage, a check valve 119 isconnected in the conduit 1% and a flow restricting tube 12% by-passesthe check valve.

In order to prevent the cradle from being operated While the pressureroll bears against the warp beam, the air inlet 112 of the valve 111 isconnected to the outlet 88 of the valve 9%, whereby air is admitted tothe valve 111 only when the inlet 9*1 is connected to the outlet 88 ofthe valve and the pressure roll is fully retracted.

in operation, when air is admitted to one of the reservoirs of a pair,the other reservoir of that pair is vented, whereby the air pressurizesthe hydraulic fluid and causes it to operate the piston in one directionwhile the fluid in back of the piston is returned to the ventedreservoir.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the presentinvention provides an improved warping machine which is simple,practical and economical in construction, is safe and reliable inoperation, and prevents damage to the Warp being wound.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangementof the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention and without sacrificins any of its advantages, it is to beunderstood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrativeand not in any limiting sense.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 613,156, filedOctober 1, 1956, now Patent No. 2,955,897.

i claim:

1. in a warping machine, the combination of a warp beam, means forrotating said Warp beam, a yoke pivotally mounted adjacent its upperend, a pressure roll rotably mounted on said yoke adjacent the lower endthereof and arranged to engage the warp beam and be rotated thereby andto be moved away therefrom, a measuring roll rotatably mounted on saidyoke adjacent the upper end of said yoke for supplying a Warp of yarn tosaid warp beam, and a timing means including a chain providing a directdriving connection between the pressure roll and said measuring roll,whereby said measuring roll is rotated in exact relation to said Warpbeam.

. in a warping machine according to claim 1, wherein said yoke isarranged to pivot about the axis of rotation of said measuring roll,whereby the warp of yarn between said measuring roll and said warp beamis not disturbed when said pressure roll is moved away from said warpbeam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,691,809 Bauer et al Oct. 19, 1954

